


Fixing Mirrors & Breaking Chains

by Anon_360, Echo_star



Category: The Gifted (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Violence, mentions of abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-21
Updated: 2019-09-21
Packaged: 2019-11-26 17:27:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18183593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anon_360/pseuds/Anon_360, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Echo_star/pseuds/Echo_star
Summary: Au: Clarice is desperate to escape the mistakes from her past. Together with her son, they are on the run with no where to go and no-one to turn to. What happens when they finally find someplace that they can feel safe, but with the one person she never expected to see again? Where mutants and humans already struggle to exist as one, what will she have to do to protect those she loves from the one intent on hunting her, without irrevocably damning herself in the process?Warnings: Mentions of Abuse in later chapters





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Whew, the story has been sitting around and gathering dust for YEARS... well at least one year but still! Enough is enough and we have finally decided to publish it. This is my favourite anons' story, her baby (well one of them.... can't forget about Caspian)! Beware this is darker, less happy than our other stories.
> 
> Oh and We originally called her Aurora, so if you spot any Auroras that's totally my fault :D

Marcos sighed, he hated picking Dawn up in the afternoon, much preferring the morning drop off. Not that he hated seeing the joy on little Dawns' face as she chattered about her day and who she played with. No, he didn’t like the looks he was given from the other mums as he waited. 

 

Surely many of them are off the market considering they were waiting for their children at the elementary school, but that didn’t seem to stop them from slipping him their numbers or flirting with him. Luckily Lorna was with him often and she could be intimidating enough to ward off all the unprovoked advances. 

 

“Daddy!” Dawn exclaimed, running through the throng of kids and into his arms. 

 

Smiling, Marcos lifted her into a crushing hug. Giggling she held on tightly to him before he put her down and they started the short journey back to the Underground hand in hand. 

 

The Underground was a refuge where mutants can go to get back on their feet, find a job or offer any help that may be required. It’s on the fringe of the Atlanta perimeter, near Dunwoody, the building is slightly run down and safely away from the scornful judgement of the public eye. 

 

"Dad!" His daughter spoke up suddenly interrupting herself, pointing at a building ahead. "There’s a little boy in that building. I thought you said nobody lives there."

 

Following his daughters gaze, he saw the face of a young boy in the upper window before it quickly ducked out of their sight. 

“Mmm, there isn’t suppose to be anyone living there. Remember that word I told you.. condemned? The buildings condemned meaning it's not proper to live in.” 

 

Dawn tasted the word, rolling it around her mouth. “Con..dem..ed" As they neared the ominous building Marcos released her hand to check out the front door, and he found that the seal hadn’t been cut nor had the lock been broken.

 

"Yeah, well done Dawn." Marcos praised grinning at his kid. “We're gonna go inside to see if he needs help. Okay?" 

 

“Daddy it’s locked.” 

 

“Yeah, well I’m just gonna have to unlock it then, aren’t I?” Marcos held the padlock and felt the heat obey running into his fingers and melting the metal. 

 

"Let's go!" She proposed pushing the door open and bounding into the building. 

 

"Don't run off!" He demanded stepping into the old factory after her. "Stay close." Her father urged as he sidled up to her and, with Dawn walking right beside him, they start exploring the building. 

 

"Hello!" The little girl called out as they walked. "Is anybody here?" 

Together Dawn and Marcos sweep the abandoned factory from left to right. In the far right hand corner of the structure against the wall they find a dark blue tent pitched. 

 

When they begin walking to the tent a shimmering violet and aquamarine sphere appears and widens depositing a woman in its place. Seeing them she immediately drops the bags in her hands and takes a protective stance in front of the tent. 

 

The silence is deafening, as the adults stand protectively in front of their kids, and Dawn peeks out from behind her father's legs, having hidden behind him when the portal opened.  Marcos cleared his throat, knowing he'd have to be the one to break it. 

"I'm Marcos and this is my daughter Dawn. We saw a kid through the window and thought it best to come check, y’know incase he needed any help.” He gestured to the tent as he said 'he', referring to her kid.

 

“Thanks.” Her voice's flat and the dismissal was clear but Marcos needed to convey that she and her son didn’t have to live like this, they could be helped.  

 

“You're like us," Marcos demonstrated by illuminating his left hand. The woman, if possible, became more rigid and she stepped back from him in fear, widening the distance between them. Marcos' heart broke and he dropped his hands before continuing. “We are from the Underground, it’s a few blocks away and we help people, like us, adapt and find somewhere that they can call home. If you need help, you're more than welcome to come over; we’re a pretty friendly bunch,” he grinned. 

 

“No, thanks.” She finally spoke, her voice fraught with tension, eyeing him cautiously.  

 

Sensing that this woman wasn’t going to relax until they were gone, Marcos pulled a folded pamphlet from his back pocket and placed it on the ground before her. Standing he took his daughter into his arms and turned back the way they had come. 

"Please remember we will always help a fellow mutant. No judgement. It was nice meeting you."

 

“Daddy,” Dawn whispered once they were outside, “why are they living in a tent?” 

 

“Some mutants aren’t as lucky as us, Dawn. It can be hard to find a place where you can belong.” He told her sadly. 

 

“She has a pretty face like Shatter. She should come live with us.” Dawn remarked, thinking of the pretty purple marks framing the lady's face. 

 

Marcos put her on the ground so she could walk. "She's always welcome to.” He replied as they continued their journey home. 

 

—

 

Clarice stood protectively in front of the tent and watched the intruder and his kid leave. Once the factory door closed behind the pair, she scooped up her fallen packages and rushed into the tent, not once glancing at the pamphlet on the damp floor a few feet away. 

 

"You know you're not supposed to be by the windows." She chastised the boy huddled up in both of their sleeping bags. 

 

"I wanted to see if you were here yet. I'm sorry, I _really_ don't feel good mummy." 

 

"I know lil' soldier, that's why I went to buy soup." She reminded him as she dug through the grocery bags and pulled out their contents. "You _shouldn’t_ have gone to the windows." She stressed opening the can. 

 

"I heard someone come in." He whispered through the fabric of the camping equipment, peeking just above its seam to glance at his mother. 

 

Her hands had frozen as she remembered the mans hand glow, he could have hurt them. Taking a deep breath she pulls her mask together. 

"It's okay, they're gone now." 

 

"I didn't mean to put us in danger." Ian apologized moving to sit up, his voice going up an octave. He didn't even know what type of danger he'd put them in, a small voice whispered treacherously in the back of her head. 

 

"We're okay. We're safe. We're gonna be fine." Clarice comforted running her hands through Ian's black hair. 

__

 

Clarice gently pressed her hand against Ian’s forehead as he shifted fitfully in his sleep. It'd been two days and he was still burning up. It’s cold and damp in this building, not the best place to be living though definitely not their worst. 

 

“Mummy.” Clarice glanced down at her son, his brown eyes bloodshot, standing out in stark contrast against his too pale skin. “It hurts," he whimpered piteously. 

 

This is bad, worse than she had thought it was. Two days with no improvement and she couldn’t let him suffer anymore. For her too brave boy to complain, it must be horrible. 

 

Grabbing the pamphlet the man had given her days ago, she read it over again. She couldn’t stay for long, was still preserving her energy for another day of travel, via portal, for now however, she needed the help and once Ian was better they would disappear. 

 

Nodding in resolution she cupped his cheek once more. Then she zipped up the sleeping bag and picked him up. Clutching Ian to her, she concentrated on creating a portal, it’s raining outside and a walk in the rain didn’t sound appealing. Clarice concentrated on the outside of the building, she had scoped it out yesterday in case Ian hadn’t improved. 

 

Stepping through she was confronted by the towering building, massive compared to the one they had been sleeping in. It’s rundown but inviting; a neat front yard, with a weathered building that needs a new coat of paint. There are lights on throughout the building. 

 

Staggering to the front door, the rain soaking them to the bone immediately, she knocked urgently. When there’s no response, she tried the handle, it was unlocked. 

 

“Hello. Is anyone here?” She called out. She could hear people, farther off but they were obviously here. It felt so wrong to just walk into the house. 

 

Hesitating by the doorway, she’s relieved when a woman came walking up the corridor a child in tow. She had dark red hair and looked meticulously put together, the little girl Clarice momentarily recognized as the girl who’d come with the man the day before last. Clarice knew she looked a mess but that didn’t matter at the moment, all that mattered was Ian. 

"A man said I could come here if I need help. My son is sick, he has a fever.”


	2. Chapter 2

Marcos was sitting in the living room refereeing a Twister competition when the front door opened. He didn't think anything of it until Dawn skipped into the room and jumped on the couch next to him.  "Daddy, the tent lady's here." Marcos was on his feet instantly. "Sonia's taking her to the clinic." She informed him as he all but ran out of the room and down the halls tearing through the house. 

"Are you alright?" He called as he rounded the corner to the clinic door. The woman he’d met the day before last looked up with tears in her eyes then glanced to the table. Immediately his gaze zeroed in on the child laying still on the examination table. "Is he okay?" Marcos asked Daniella, the stations doctor. 

"His fever's very high 103.4; he should have been taken to the hospital.” She stated gravely. Sonia, who was seated next to the mother, gripped the woman's hand tighter as the doctor spoke.

“We can’t go to the hospital.” Clarice muttered demurely. Dani nodded sadly, some mutants and their children were not welcome or were refused treatment at hospitals. There were some clinics whom would treat them but they were few and far between. 

“He’s severely dehydrated, I'm giving him all the broad spectrum antibiotics and saline he can handle. The meds should start to kick in and his temperature should drop. He'll be fine then." 

"Thanks Dani." Marcos responded looking away from the boy and back to his distraught mother.

"I'll have Caitlin change his IV bag and give him another dose of meds when she gets in tonight." Daniella announced to both of them. 

"Got it." Marcos responded. Daniella knelt down until she was level with the mother. She handed the Asian woman a tissue. 

"It's okay, he should be alright. You did a brave thing by coming here, great job. I will help your son to the best of my ability.” 

"Thanks doc."  S he whispered. 

"Look," Marcos said as he slowly approached her. "I can't even begin to understand what you're going through, but Dani's  great and you are safe now." The woman looked up at him, finally, and unlike at the factory, she saw him. She saw the man who invited them to a safe harbor and not the man who was a potential weapon crashing into their  s helter. 

"I'm Marcos Diaz. I’m  o ne of the leader s at this station and I live here with my family.”  

“I’m Clarice and this is Ian, man of the hour.” She murmured, leaning over to run her hand through the boys sweat slick hair. 

“It’s nice to meet you Clarice. Can I get you anything?” 

“A clean bill of health?” She asked rhetorically. 

“Well, we’re working on that, aren’t we?” He joked lightly. “How about I bring you something to eat? What do you say to a hot meal?” 

“I wouldn’t be opposed.” 

“Great, I’m gonna get you some pasta and bring John to meet you. He started the Underground and he likes meeting every new person when they come in.” Then he back peddled realizing that she might not be comfortable. “But if you don’t want to now, I don’t have to bring him.” 

 "Clarice," Sonia spoke comfortingly, "you don't have to meet him now. You can take it at your own pace." She reassured.

“No, it’s fine. I can meet him now.” 

“Alright. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” And with that Marcos exited the clinic, closing the door behind himself, and leaving Clarice under Sonia's care, as he set off up the halls and to the ground floor towards the mess hall. He ran into John in the mess. John was talking to Gus, who was packing away the leftovers from dinner. 

“Hey Gus, can I have a bowl of pasta?” 

“Didn’t you eat already?” He sassed rhetorically knowing that Marcos had in fact eaten to his stomachs content, having come back for seconds. 

“It’s not for me, we have a new woman here.” He turned to address John. “I told her I’d bring you but to meet her.”  

“Marcos, maybe she’s not up for that, she probably didn’t come in under the best of circumstances.” John elaborated. 'Though no one ever does.' He thought morosley.

“She said she’s up for it. She probably just want to get it out of the way.” Marcos surmised.

“How does she like her pasta?” Gus asked.  

“Um, lets do lots of sauce and cheese.”  

“Can’t believe you didn’t ask Diaz.” Gus deadpanned, turning away to fix it. 

“It wasn’t the first thing on my mind honestly.” He defended. “Honestly I’m just as worried about that boy as she is.” 

“What boy?” John asked. 

“She only came by because her sons sick and they won’t get treated at a hospital.” 

“How bad is the boy?” Gus asked, tuning into the conversation. 

“103 degree fever. If it doesn’t break someone’s gonna have to take him to an emergency room. He doesn’t have marking but if his mom takes him he won’t get treated.” 

“She probably wouldn’t let us just take him to the hospital without her.” 

“If it’s the only option,” he shrugged, “she just might.” They fell into introspective silence. 

“Here,” Gus said, pushing a steaming ceramic bowl of pasta across the counter, pulling them out of their own minds. 

“Does it have to be that hot? You’re trying to burn her or what?” 

“Don’t even act like that’ll burn you Diaz, I’m just making sure that it’ll still be warm when you get it to her. You are a slowpoke.” 

“Hey!” The Columbian objected visibly offended. 

“Not now guys. Gus, leave him alone.” Then he turned to Marcos. “Let’s go.” 

 

* * *

 

Clarice sat in the hard plastic chair by Ian's bedside sniffling and silently wiping her tears every few seconds. Marcos had left to bring pasta and John, the man who ran the haven, to the clinic to meet her.  

She knew that she should probably go to the sink and rinse her face so she could make a good first impression but she couldn't bring herself to move from Ian's side. She heard footsteps coming back down the hall and low murmured voices. In a futile attempt, she used her sleeve to dab her eyes and wipe away her tear tracks. 

"No one here is going to judge you for the way you look." Sonia said as she watched Clarice attempt to not look like she'd just been crying. 

"Maybe not, but I can't always look like a half drowned cat." She snarked with a small smile. Quickly she blew into the tissue she had received from the doctor, one last time, and crumpled it in her hand. The voices and footsteps grew louder and then a light knock echoed through the clinic. Marcos opened the door and stepped through. 

"Clarice this is John Proudstar. John founded and runs this station of the Underground." Clarice watched the door as another man entered. He looked vaguely familiar and it hit her at the same time it hit him. She watched, only faintly amused, as his eyes widened and his jaw dropped. 

"Nice to meet you." She cut in before he could find any words. His mouth shut with an audible click, making Marcos look away from her and, both him and Sonia, turn to him questioningly. Clarice challengingly rose an eyebrow at him behind Marcos and Sonia's backs. Albeit a bit reluctantly, taking her cue John noded. 

"Nice to meet you too, Ms.—“ 

"Evans. Clarice Evans." 

“Here you go Clarice, or do you prefer—“ Marcos started asking.

“Clarice is fine.” She stated, cutting him off. 

“Okay. Here you go. I didn’t know how you prefer it so I asked Gus to put on lots of tomato sauce and cheese.” He said with a smile.

“Sounds perfect. Thanks Marcos.” Clarice said, smiling back slightly. 

“Your welcome. It’s a little too hot so let it cool down for a second before digging in.” He cautioned. She nodded and took the bowl, letting it warm her clammy hands. 

“I have to go put my daughter to bed but I will come to check on you afterwards.” 

“Alright.” She replied. Marcos gave her an encouraging smile then left. 

"Clarice, I have to go as well. I have to take care of some tasks but I can come back immediatley when I've finished. Would you like me to come back?" She asked, her voice steady, not giving any indecation as which she would prefer so as not to influence Clarice's decision.

"Yes Sonia, I would. Thank you." 

When Sonia left, Johns gaze was drawn  to the boy, his brow furrowed as he started to drift off in thought. Clarice cleared her throat to get his attention because as long as he was focused on her he wasn't focused on Ian. 

"Fancy meeting you here." She said, breaking the silence. John chuckled softly. 

"I thought I'd never see you again." He replied, soft brown eyes searching hers. 

"Guess you didn't get the memo that you're not supposed to meet one night stands again." She responded wiping her slightly runny nose with the cuff of her sleeve. 

His eyes ran over her as if assessing her. "What size are you?" Clarice's eyebrow rose in question. “So  I can bring you some dry clothes." He  elaborated. She looked at her feet so he couldn't see her  s mall smile, he saw it nonetheless. 

Clarice looked back up biting her lip and nervously pushed a few wet locks of hair behind her right ear. Borrowing someone’s clothes felt a little too permanent, though the urge to change out of the wet clothes is high. “I'm size 2.” She murmured, attempting to push away the uncomfortable feeling she got at the thought of having to depend on other people. 

“Alright, I’ll see what I can find.” John smiled before leaving to find clothes. John slowly made his way towards the room which acted as a large walk in closet of donated clothes. He walked over to the standing rack that had size 2’s on it. Operating on auto pilot, he grabbed a pair of sweat pants and a hoodie, his mind focused on the image of Clarice and her son. The thought of the boy made John cross the room to the chest of children’s clothes and pull out a set of dry clothes for the boy as well. He remembered her face like it was yesterday. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Clarice and Sonia are going to be friends in this fic, what do you all think about their potential friendship?


End file.
